1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of bakery equipment and icing dispensing devices. More specifically the present invention relates to a flowable material dispenser such as for dispensing frosting onto bakery products. The dispenser includes a cartridge assembly for retaining flowable material such as frosting and which is detachable and washable and a drive structure for engaging the cartridge assembly and progressively driving the material out of the cartridge assembly and onto a target surface. The cartridge assembly includes a dispensing piston sealingly and slidably retained within a cylinder, the cylinder having a distal cylinder dispensing end to which a selected flow shaping nozzle or an annular filling disk can be sealingly mounted and having a proximal cylinder mounting end with a proximally extending cartridge assembly mounting protrusion, and the piston including a piston head for creating the slidable seal within the cylinder and a rack in the form of a slat with a series of rack gear teeth along its length and connected to and protruding proximally from the piston head out of the cylinder and along to the cartridge assembly mounting protrusion. The drive structure includes a cartridge assembly engagement structure preferably in the form of a cross-sectionally arched channel having a cartridge assembly engagement structure in the form of inwardly angled engagement portions spaced such that the cylinder can be forcibly passed between the engagement portions into or out of the channel by spreading the engagement portions against the resilient biasing of the curved body of the channel. The channel has a channel proximal end and a channel distal end, and contains a piston drive mechanism which drivably and releasibly engages the piston rack upon fitting the cylinder into the channel, for driving the piston proximally to draw flowable material such as frosting into the cylinder and distally to dispense the flowable material out of the cartridge assembly through a nozzle mounted to the cylinder dispensing end. The piston drive mechanism preferably includes an electric drive motor mounted within the channel proximal end and electrically connected through a dispenser circuit to a power source such as batteries also mounted within the channel, the motor having a motor drive shaft drivably connected to a speed reducing gear train which in turn drives a pinion gear, the pinion gear drivably engaging the rack gear teeth upon fitting the cylinder into the channel.
The cylinder dispensing end of the cylinder preferably has cylinder external threads, and at least one nozzle and preferably several nozzles having a variety of differently shaped nozzle dispensing openings are provided having nozzle internal threads for individually screwing onto the cylinder dispensing end. The filling disk permits delivery of flowable material from the can into the cartridge assembly cylinder while keeping the material in the can level, smooth and uniform across its upper surface. The filling disk preferably has a disk outer diameter substantially matching the can inner diameter so that the level of the material in the can drops uniformly across the surface of the material.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There have long been dispensers for flowable food such as frosting. When these dispensers, which may also be called extruders are filled, a cook must spoon out the mixture from a mixing container into a pastry bag or dispenser container. This is a time-consuming, laborious and messy process that is extremely inconvenient, requiring the use of numerous mixing bowls, spoons and spatulas. This process of filling also creates air pockets that require further manipulation of the pastry bag or dispenser, thereby further slowing the dispensing of the mixture. In the case of pre-prepared frosting mixtures, the same problems and inconveniences apply. Thus a need exists for a device that makes the filling of a pastry dispenser or extruder faster, more convenient and neater, especially when using containers of pre-prepared frostings, which are designed specifically to be a time-saving convenience for consumers.
Additionally, previous methods of emptying extruders or pastry bags required either time-consuming and messy manual removal with spoons or spatulas or the wastage of leftover filling.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a flowable material dispenser having one or more material retaining cartridge assemblies which can be attached to and detached from a drive structure without tools and washed. The cartridge assemblies may filled from cans or tubs of material or may be provided pre-filled.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a dispenser which can be filled quickly with flowable material and without use of a spoon or other implement, and which leaves virtually no wasted material.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide such a dispenser which provides side loading of the material cartridge assembly regardless of the amount of flowable material left in the cartridge assembly, and has a drive structure with a C-shaped cross-section permitting the piston within the cartridge to slide along and beside the drive motor or other drive mechanism housing, and includes an electronic control embodiment of the motor actuating switch which permits the motor to reverse for easy stopping of material flow with no accidental exit of the flowable material.
It is finally an object of the present invention to provide such a dispenser which is ergonomically configured, sturdy, reliable and inexpensive to manufacture,